Power Nuclear Digital Edition November 2020

 

Digital Edition NOVEMBER 2020 Read Now

Cover Focus: Nuclear top Plants Consistent Excellence Makes Byron Nuclear Plant Special The Byron Generating Station has been a model of outstanding performance by a nuclear plant, helping raise the average capacity factor of the U.S. nuclear fleet. The facility in Illinois is arguably the best-performing nuclear plant in Exelon’s fleet of 21 reactors. Darlington’s First Refurbishment: A Model for Nuclear Construction Ontario Power Generation successfully returned Darlington Nuclear Generating Station Unit 2 to service in June after an extensive refurbishment on the plant’s CANDU reactor. It was the first of four units to be overhauled and marks an important milestone for the 10-year project. FEATURES Research & Development NETL: Meeting the Needs of the Nation’s Fossil Power Plant Fleet The National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) continues to support programs and research to determine what issues cause problems for the nation’s aging power plants. NETL is investing in data analytics approaches for predicting when components will fail, using materials models and process data. Project Finance Follow the Money—Considering Climate in Energy Investment Shareholders are demanding more sustainable business practices from the corporate sector, and investments in clean energy technologies are growing as banks and other financial groups move more of their money into solar, wind, and other renewables. Hydropower Understanding Open-Channel Flow Equations for Hydro Applications Accurately measuring average velocities in channels or culverts with surfaces open to the atmosphere has been a challenge for ages. Chezy and Manning developed equations for the task, but determining roughness coefficients for the calculations is an imprecise science. A lab experiment may improve the process. Energy Storage Analysts: Storage a Matter of Dollars and Sense Energy storage is proving its value, beyond being able to provide reliable power when needed. Utilities are finding the economic benefits are much greater, enabling savings in several areas of operation. Energy-Water Nexus How the Clean Energy Transition Is Intensifying the Energy-Water Nexus The world is transitioning to cleaner forms of energy, but a scarcity of water in some regions could put stress on power generators, and slow the growth of clean technology. Generator Maintenance How to Examine Generators with Visual Inspection Robots Futuristic? Perhaps it sounds that way, but miniature robots are here, and have been proven as an efficient way to inspect generators, avoiding downtime and the costs of other inspection methods. Gas Turbine Safer and More Efficient Gas Turbine Coupling Maintenance An alternative method for performing routine maintenance on the GE 7FAclass gas turbine coupling saves time, is safer, and improves the disassembly and reassembly process during both planned and unplanned outages.

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